HispanicBusiness

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- In an unprecedented move, recognizing the country's most underserved and fastest growing demographic -- the English-speaking Hispanic audience -- Fernando Espuelas, founder of the Spanish- and Portuguese-language integrated media company StarMedia Network, announced today the formation of the new, multi-tiered lifestyle and entertainment company, VOY(TM). Based in New York and Los Angeles, VOY -- Spanish for "I go" -- focuses on empowering Hispanics in the United States. VOY acts as a cultural bridge between Latinos and the mainstream through a suite of English-language media products and services, including film, music, publishing, original television programming and distribution along with other innovative entertainment and lifestyle products. VOY is being privately funded by Latino venture investors and spearheaded by Fernando Espuelas.

Named one of the "Leaders of the Millennium" by Time magazine, Espuelas' leadership in the technology revolution earned him worldwide recognition for linking and integrating Spanish-speaking communities. He now seeks to unite a broader audience with the VOY philosophy of optimism, self-empowerment and success.

With a population of 38.8 million today, Hispanics are now the leading minority group in the United States. The swelling growth within this demographic is the "New Generation" -- the acculturated second/third generation -- a population that is predominantly English-speaking, upwardly mobile, and closely identifies with mainstream and Latin culture. By 2006, Hispanics will comprise 14% of the U.S. population. While first-generation Hispanics are most comfortable speaking Spanish in home, social and business environments, the preference for Spanish is diluted in second and third generations. Sixty-five percent of second-generation Hispanics designated they had the "most comfort" in speaking English; in third generation Hispanics, this number increased to 70.1%.

VOY also announced that veteran cable television executive Andrew Thau has been named CEO of VOY Network, LLC, an English-language cable television network targeting U.S. Hispanics. Thau comes to VOY from Fox Cable Channels, where he served as Senior Vice President/General Manager Operations and Strategy, overseeing all functional areas of numerous networks. Thau is based in Los Angeles.

For further information, please see http://www.voygroup.com/ . VOY

CONTACT: Richard Licata of Rogers and Cowan, +1-310-201-8825, for VOY

Web site: http://www.voygroup.com/